Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-05-14
CURRENT TOPICS.

League is body organized to press upon
Congress the adoption of the policy of
aid to the extension of our ocean mail
service. 1t has a strong membership in
the Southern coast cities, and the first
important meeting of the league was
held in the South. The league is di-
vided into five departments, which will
hold conventions this year as follows
North Atlantic coast-Boston, Septem-
Der 10, IA, Is; South Atlantic coast
Charleston, s. c., April 25, 26, 81; Gulf
coast-Birmingham, Ala, November s, 8,
10; Pacific coast-San Francisco, May
"a, 25, 90; Lake Shore and Mississippi
Valley-Chicago, June IA, Is, 16. The
National Union, which is a consolidation
of the five departments, will hold its
convention at Washington December s,
8 and 10. One of the important objects
of the league is to secure passage through
Congress of the appropriation of 100000
to expedite the South American mail
service. 1t has twice passed the Senate,
but has been defeated in the House. Such
appropriation was passed by the House
at one session, but Postmaster General
Villas declined to make use of this
course in which particular subjected
him to great deal of criticism. The
great obstacle which the league
has to contend with is the feeling
against subsidies. 1t is, however, pointed
out that without government aid it is
simply impossible for American steam
ship lines to compete with the lines of
foreign countries, as those are all heavily
subsidized. 1t is a fact that although
this country affords to South America
its largest market, yet she takes in return
comparatively few goods from us, the
money paid by US for her coffee and
other products being used to purchase
supplies from England and Germany,
which we might just as well furnish.
While as at present the most expeditions
mail communication from this country
is often via England, there is no chance
for our merchants to compete for this
enormous trade, 1t is claimed that it is
just as reasonable and proper for the
government to assist the development
of our foreign commerce, as it was for 1t
to build up our domestic commerce, by
aiding the construction of the Pacific
roads. The form in which it is asked
that aid shall be extended, it is claimed,
will protect the liberality of che govern
ment from abuse. 1t is asked simply
that the carrying of the American mails
ha1 ha ori1, l.
American steamship lines. At present
it is the policy of the Postoffice Depart
ment to give the mails to the lowest bid
der without restriction, which enables
foreign subsidized lines to underbid
American lines and force them ont of
competition.
Nv
Michigan is the first State to adopt
the Australian ballot system which was
introduced in England some years ago
with such beneficial results. The prin-
ciple of the system is that the State in
terrogates theHotef as to his choice. The
method necessarily simplifes political
machinery as we'll as provides additional
guarantees against fraud in elections.
Instead of the candidates of political
organizations supplying ballots to voters
the State undertakes that duty. The
Michigan law provides that any person
can have his name as candidate placed
upon the ballots by presenting to the
proper officials certificate of his nomi-
nation by any gathering of qualified
voters and on payment of fee of $50
for State, $25 for county and so for
city office. All the candidates names
are placed on the same ballot with the
names of the parties of which they
are respectively the candidates and
the voter indicates his choice by
checking the name of the candidate
for whom he desires his vote to be re-
corded. 1t will be seen that one effect
of this law will be to facilitate the indie
pendent action of citizens. Under the
present system, candidacy for Office
involves the retaining of little army of
ticket peddlers and other agents who can
be only with difficulty secured except by
regular party organizations. Under the
new system all such difficulties are re-
moved and the candidate of an indepen-
dent gathering of citizens can enter the
field in perfect security that voters will
be given free expression of their choice.
The system has worked so admirably
wherever it has been tried that it is
quite likely it will come into general
use eventually in this country.
Nv
There are two sides to the controversy
overthe long and short haul-clause of the
interstate commerce law. For one thing
it acts as an interstate protective tariff,
ndthis phase of its workings is beingduly
appreciated. The commission has received
numerously-signed petition from citi-
zens of California against the suspension
of the operation of that clause so far as
the commerce on the Pacific coast is
concerned. New England journals are
calling attention to the fact that the
Eastern farmer has been compelled to
abandon one crop after another by low
freights from the West and South, and
the operation of the long and short haul
clause is expected to increase the value
of agricultural lands in New England.
AS rule, however, the expressions in
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